


It's a Long Road We've Been Walking On

by aleia



Series: My Salvation [2]
Category: 9-1-1: Lone Star (TV 2020)
Genre: Anal Sex, Blow Jobs, Canon-Typical Violence, Cuddling & Snuggling, Developing Relationship, Dom/sub Undertones, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Episode Related, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Drug Addiction, M/M, Mentions of Cancer
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-30
Updated: 2020-04-10
Packaged: 2021-03-01 03:21:43
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,674
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23398402
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aleia/pseuds/aleia
Summary: So because I write out of order lately like a weirdo, this starts right before the police station scene in Episode 3. I guess, technically, it can a prequal to what I wrote for the finale (When I've Thrown Off the Weight of this Crazy Stone), but it since it’s an expansion of Carlos/TK in the episodes 3-8, it doesn’t really matter. It's completed and I'm impatient to post it, so the chapters should go up once a week or faster. (I'm self-quarantined and thrive on comments. Plus I already started the sequel to "When I've Thrown Off the Weight of this Crazy Stone" so I'm super impatient to go though this fic.)The first chapter is the only one that really overlaps with a scene in the episode. I'm just filling in my ideas for what may have happened off-screen with their relationship.
Relationships: Carlos Reyes/TK Strand, TK Strand & Paul Strickland
Series: My Salvation [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1683085
Comments: 75
Kudos: 267





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I actually decided to post this earlier than planned because someone posted on tumblr that they'd read everything on this Lone Star tag and they were bored and going crazy. ;)

Carlos didn’t decide to become a police officer because he thought it was a noble profession. He became a police officer because he thought it _should_ be a noble profession. Because every time someone in his family needed a police officer, they shouldn’t be questioning if calling 911 would hurt more people than that it would help.

So, Carlos knew that he wasn’t going to love all of his co-workers. It started in the academy and never stopped. Moving to Austin helped a little, but the most liberal city in Texas is still in Texas. And Carlos is still gay on top of not being white. He likes Maria, his partner at work. He loves Michelle. But Texas is still Texas and there’s a reason that Carlos spends more time with an EMT he met on his first call than with anyone from the Austin Police Department.

He’s not surprised when he overhears a gay slur from a group of officers at that station. He tries not to flinch. He _did_ flinch, but they don’t notice his presence until he walks toward them.

“You know we don’t mean you, Reyes,” Sullivan says. “You’re not like that.”

Carlos doesn’t bother pointing out that he is very much _like that_ even if he doesn’t meet the stereotypes that they’re mocking.

“It’s just this stupid kid,” Simons says. “He knows what he’s like. If he wants to be like that, he should stay in his parts of the city. There’re clubs where he can flaunt it as much as he wants. But he had to drive to just the right part of town to get his ass kicked in bar that he had no place walking into.”

“He was probably into it. Gets his rocks off from some guy beating the shit out of him. Kid’s not even drunk so we’re gonna have to let him go,” Sullivan says.

Simons looks at Carlos like they’re friends. Like he thinks Carlos agrees with him. “We’re just letting him sweat a bit. Teach him a lesson and scare him a little since we have to let him go.”

“You should let me take care of it,” Carlos says and holds his hand out for the file in Sullivan’s hand. If some poor gay guy got bashed in a bar, he doesn’t need these assholes making him feel worse.

When Sullivan doesn’t hand over the file in his hand, Carlos says, “He can’t hire a lawyer and say the police left him waiting because they’re homophobic if I deal with him.”

“Right, smart,” Sullivan says and hands over the file. “That’s why we like you. I’ll tell them you’re taking over.”

Carlos nods. He hates it, but he’s been on the force long enough that he knows when to fight a battle and when to just do what he can inside the system.

He doesn’t expect to open the file and read the name _Tyler Kennedy Strand_. TK. The same TK who told him off and walked out of his house just because Carlos wanted to have dinner with him. Fuck. The last thing Carlos wants is to face TK again even if he has an advantage. But he doesn’t hate TK enough to let these guys treat him like they want to. He doesn’t hate TK even a little.

Reading the report feels like an invasion of TK’s privacy, but if TK wanted privacy, then he should’ve not started a fight in the same city where he sucked off a member of the police force. Because even though Carlos wants to believe it’s not TK’s fault, the report says he wasn’t just an innocent victim who wandered into the wrong bar because he’s new to Austin. Carlos isn’t sure if that’s better or worse than if he’d just been attacked.

By the time Carlos has traded the file for the wallet and keys that they took off TK, TK’s been moved to the chair by his desk. He’s bent over and he has an ice pack pressed to his face. At least one of Carlos’s co-workers isn’t completely horrible if someone gave him ice.

Carlos tosses the bag with TK’s belongings on his desk and TK looks up just as he sits down. It’s hard to be pissed about the previous night when TK looks so miserable that Carlos wants to bundle him up and take him home.

“Seriously?” TK asks.

“Austin is a small town, TK. Or should I say Tyler Kennedy?” TK groans at the use of his full name. Carlos shouldn’t find it cute.

“Bummer about getting arrested. People might find out your real name, which marks the first actual thing I’ve learned about you.”

“Isn’t you processing me a conflict of interest or something?” TK asks like the immature brat he seems to want to be since Carlos made the mistake of trying to get to know him. Under different circumstances, Carlos might want to do something else about that. But he does have to be professional so he pulls TK’s wrist forward so that he can unlock his cuffs. This is definitely not how he wanted to see TK in cuffs.

“The good news is, neither of your new friends wants to talk about that little scuffle tonight and since you blew a 0.0, we’re not even giving you drunk and disorderly.” Carlos releases him as he pulls the cuffs away and pushes the plastic bag in his direction, resisting the urge to drop his professional demeaner no matter how pathetic TK looks.

“You’re free to go.”

Carlos slides his chair away, expecting the conversation to be over and for TK to walk away from him as quickly as he did the last time. Instead, TK opens the bag to pull out his things.

“And what’s the bad news?”

Carlos knows that he should just blow him off. There’s no reason to care so much about someone he hooked up with once. But he _does_ care, and maybe since he asked, TK will listen. And Carlos became a police officer to help people, so he has to try to help TK at least as much as he would if TK was someone Carlos hadn’t slept with.

“The bad news is that means you did this with a clear head. I’m not trying to be your boyfriend, or even your friend if you’re not into it, but you should talk to someone about why you felt compelled to do something so suicidal.”

TK looks back at him and even nods his head a little when Carlos talks. When he finally looks down, Carlos has to pull away and try to shut off everything he shouldn’t be feeling. He grabs the tissue box from his desk and puts it in front of TK in a pointless attempt to break the connection.

“Got a little crud there, by the way.” He points on his own face to where TK has dried blood on the side of his lip. Then Carlos pulls away and grabs a random file from his stack. Not that Carlos can pay attention to anything while TK’s sitting next to him looking so broken.

TK’s also failing at cleaning himself up, so Carlos gives into the urge to help him.

He tries to be short about it. Tries to maintain the anger he felt when TK left him alone with the table set for a dinner that never happened. But TK looks at him with tears in his eyes like he’s doesn’t know what to do about someone treating him gently.

“Thanks,” TK mumbles as Carlos tosses the tissue in the trash and tries to ignore him, but TK still doesn’t get up and leave.

“I’m sorry I went crazy on you the other night.”

TK’s leaning into his space. Carlos can’t look at him or he’s going to do something stupid like try again.

“I’m a cop. I’m used to crazy.”

“Look, I just went through a really bad breakup. Like nuclear bad. And then I relapsed.”

“You mean with me?” Carlos asks without looking at him. He’s not sure how he feels about being a relapse. He already doesn’t like to sleep around casually, being a pointless rebound seems even worse. But it’s his fault. He didn’t ask.

“No,” TK says. Something in his voice makes Carlos look up and when he does, TK looks even more broken. “I mean with substances.”

Carlos remembers the champagne that he assumed TK rejected because it was too romantic.

“Right. Which explains your reaction to the champagne. I’m such an idiot. I’m sorry.”

“No. It’s fine, okay? I mean, ever since I’ve gotten here, it’s just—it’s just gray and I just feel numb all the time. I guess I just wanted to feel something.”

When Carlos can’t think of anything to say, TK seems to give up. He pulls the rest of his stuff out of the plastic bag and gets up to leave.

“Judging by that lip, I’d say mission accomplished.”

It’s stupid, but Carlos defaults to teasing when he doesn’t know what to say. But it does make some of the bratty attitude come back and Carlos is willing to call that an improvement after how broken TK looked.

“You really busting my balls right now?”

“Yeah, I suppose I am.”

Carlos is rewarded with the beautiful smile he wants to make happen again and again.

“Right. I’ll see you around,” TK says with a laugh.

“Try not to make it because you get arrested.”

TK has barely left before his partner, Maria, slides her chair over to him.

“I expected you to hear about him and take over,” Maria says. “I didn’t think you’d actually give into temptation and hit on him when you saw how hot he was. You know you can’t just take his number out of his file.”

“Don’t have to,” Carlos says without thinking. “Got it last week.”

“What?” Maria at least lowers her voice.

“I didn’t know it was him until I already had his file,” Carlos explains because he doesn’t want her to think he’s actually picking up guys at work. “He’s a firefighter. He was on a call last week. He’s at the 126 with Michelle.”

“And he got in a bar fight…” She’s not judging, not completely. She’s just voicing the hesitation that Carlos has and should probably pay more attention to if he has any self-preservation.

“We’re not dating. It’s not a good idea. _That_ has become very clear.”

“Good,” Maria says. “You can’t save everyone Carlos.”


	2. Chapter 2

Michelle thinks he should ask TK out. Of course, she does.

“Should I really be taking advice from someone else I’ve arrested?” Carlos asks.

“You haven’t gotten that look on your face about a boy in a long time,” Michelle points out. “Also, you didn’t arrest him yourself. Honestly, you’re both probably disappointed about that.”

“ _I’m_ not. Or if I am, it’s just because they clearly treated him like shit when they arrested him.” After learning more about the situation, Carlos can’t deny that TK deserved the arrest, and TK may not even know that the other officers were treating him differently than they should have, but Carlos still hates that it happened.

“Fair. You’d like to handcuff him just for fun,” Michelle says. “You’re the one who said you can’t get him out of your head.”

“Maybe he’s just good with his mouth.”

TK _is_ good with his mouth.

***

Carlos doesn’t call TK or text him, and TK doesn’t contact him either.

So of course, half-way through his next shift, the 126 is called to the same scene after a woman falls off of her balcony.

Carlos tries to ignore TK and focus on the captain. On most calls Carlos only interacts with the captain unless there’s a reason that fire and rescue needs direct help. If the captain knows that Carlos has hooked up with his son, he doesn’t show it.

The call is so ridiculous that he doesn’t have a chance to talk to TK at all, but it doesn’t help him get TK out of his head. Carlos is getting ready to leave the station for the day when TK texts him.

**TK:** Thanks for not telling anyone I got arrested. Or about me being an addict.  
 **Carlos:** I wouldn’t do that.  
 **TK:** Yeah. I just wanted to say thanks.

Carlos knows he’s grasping at straws, but TK _did_ text him first.

**Carlos:** Are you working Friday night?  
 **TK:** …no.  
 **Carlos:** Let me take you out. No pressure. You can pick where. Just to hang out.  
 **TK:** You’re asking me out after finding out what a disaster I am?  
 **Carlos:** Maybe I just want to keep you out of trouble.  
 **TK:** Oh yeah? Does that mean if I cause trouble, you’ll put the handcuffs on me this time?  
 **Carlos:** Only if you earn it.  
 **TK:** Fuck. Yeah, ok. Friday night.

***

“I don’t actually know anywhere else to go,” TK explains when Carlos is surprised about being directed to the bar. “Besides, I like darts and dancing. I can be around beer, I promise. I don’t even really like beer, so that helps. Don’t be weird.”

Carlos nods. If TK says he just wants Carlos to be normal, Carlos will be normal.

Except TK is in an even worse mood than he was after being arrested. Carlos lets him rant. Maybe he needs to, and as far as Carlos can tell, he doesn’t have anyone else in Austin to talk to who isn’t part of the 126.

Carlos should probably just agree with TK about Judd being a jerk if he wants a second date. But Carlos has spent the last three years periodically arresting his best friend, so he has to at least try to lead TK into some kind of middle ground. Apparently, TK isn’t mad enough to not be turned on by his gun.

TK laughs, turns around throws the darts he’s holding, but instead of going to get them he turns back to Carlos.

“Sorry. I’m kind of a shitty date.”

“It’s okay. Why don’t we get out of here and go somewhere you don’t have to look at him?”

***

“I really thought you were taking me back to your house. Tacos are exactly what I shouldn’t be having right now.”

As tempting as is to give in, Carlos shakes his head.

“Maybe I’ve decided to make you work for it.”

TK looks ready to bolt again, so Carlos pulls him closer by the waistband of his jeans and whispers in his ear. “I did warn you that you had to earn the handcuffs.”

“Oh my god,” TK groans when Carlos nips at his earlobe and then pulls away. “You’re really going to be a tease?”

“For now,” Carlos says and pulls him toward the taco stand. “I’m just trying to help you out and show the best places to eat. You can’t just go where Yelp tells you to.”

TK says he doesn’t have any allergies, so Carlos orders for both of them in Spanish.

“Is it offensive that I think it’s hot when you speak Spanish?” TK asks when they’re sitting on a bench outside to eat.

“Do you think it’s hot because you think I’m hot or do you have some weird Mexican fetish?”

“I’ve never had a weird racial fetish,” TK says. “And I kind of think your voice is hot in English too, so it’s not even just the Spanish. I think it’s that I can just listen to your voice and not think so hard about what you’re saying.”

“I think you’re okay then.”

TK nods. They fall into a comfortable silence as they eat until TK says, “Do you really think Judd’s right?”

When Carlos gives him a look, TK sighs.

“Sorry. I was just thinking about what you said. And you’re right. My dad has always been my captain. So maybe Judd’s just the first person who isn’t just letting me be a dumbass and not telling me because of my dad.”

“It’s hard to tell if he’s right when you never told me why he told you off.”

“Oh.” TK looks down. “We were on this weird call at a corn silo. Shit is weird here. How they hell do you die from falling into a bunch of corn? So, my dad put Judd in charge of the call because he’s the only one who knew anything about saving someone from tons of corn. Marjan fell in, and he told me not to try to hold her up. He wanted me to just leave her.”

“You ignored his orders,” Carlos finishes and TK nods. “What happened?”

“I fell into the stupid silo of corn and they had to cut holes in the side so we could fall out that way.”

“And then he yelled at you for not listening,” Carlos says and TK nods without looking at him. “You know he was right about the call, right?”

“Yes. I know that much now, obviously. I have learned how to save someone from corn.”

“I think he was upset because y’all could’ve gotten hurt,” Carlos says. “And maybe he didn’t say it in the best way, but you know you should’ve listened to him. And maybe you would have if you were used to listening to someone who wasn’t your father.”

“You’re really not trying to get laid tonight,” TK says, but he leans his head on Carlos’s shoulder, and when Carlos lifts his arm, he lets Carlos wrap it around his shoulders.

“Tell him you understand why he was mad. You’ll both get over it.”

***

Carlos can feel TK tense when they pull up in front of his house. It’s definitely bigger than where he expected TK to live, and his neighbors aren’t so close that it makes sense for him to be looking around like he is.

“Should I be worried that you’re afraid to be seen with me?” Carlos asks. As far as he can tell, TK’s out.

“No. I just don’t want my dad to be weird, but I don’t think he’s home yet.”

“You live with your dad?” Carlos asks, not realizing that he should hide his surprise until he sees the blush on TK’s cheeks.

“Not permanently. It’s not like I never moved out. I had my own place in New York before we moved, but I didn’t know Austin. I figured it made sense to crash with him until I knew the area enough to figure out where I wanted to live.”

“That’s smart,” Carlos says.

“You think it’s weird.”

“No, it’s smart. I had a hard enough time adjusting when I moved and I was from north Texas. It makes sense to crash with your dad and take your time before you accidentally sign up to live somewhere you hate.”

“This is why I suggested your house,” TK says.

“And I told you that you’re not getting any tonight.”

TK rolls his eyes and groans, but after his dramatics, he smiles.

“Thanks for tonight. I know I was kind of a bad date.”

“You weren’t that bad,” Carlos tells him. “But it helps that you’re pretty.”

TK comes easily when Carlos pulls him into a kiss. He tries to push it into something more the same way he did the last time he came over, but Carlos holds him steady and keeps the kiss slow even as his tongue slides between TK’s lips. Carlos isn’t opposed to getting a little rough, but he’s going to teach TK that he deserves some tenderness if TK will let him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, TK lied about why he lives with his dad. I don't think he was ready to go into all those details. No one wants to tell the hot guy that they live with their dad because they're kind of unstable.


	3. Chapter 3

**Carlos:** Everything okay with you? I’m getting called in.  
**TK:** I was at the station. We’re heading out to help now that the tornado has passed.  
**Carlos:** Be careful.  
**TK:** Is there a reward in it for me?  
**Carlos:** Not getting hurt?  
**TK:** I work well with motivation.  
**Carlos:** I feel like not getting hurt should be enough motivation for you, but I’ll think about it.

***

 **TK:** Can I come over?  
**Carlos:** Right now? Tonight?  
**TK:** Please?  
**Carlos:** Are you ok?  
**TK:** Physically, yes.  
**Carlos:** Come over.

***

By now, Carlos shouldn’t be surprised when he opens the door and TK slams into him. But it’s different this time. His kiss is less rough and more desperate.

“Hey, hey. Slow down, cariño.” Carlos holds TK’s face in his hands and looks at him.

“Please. I just need to not think. Please.” TK’s eyes are wet.

“What’s wrong? Sweetheart, what’s wrong?” The English endearment slips out before Carlos can stop himself, but TK doesn’t pull away. He pushes closer and presses his face into Carlos’s chest and lets out a sob. Carlos wraps him up tight, rubbing his hands over TK’s back and carding through his hair. “It’s okay. I got you. I’ve got you.”

“I’m sorry,” TK says in between sobs.

“Shh, no. You don’t have to be sorry. You have nothing to be sorry about.” Carlos sways back and forth, holding him tight and pressing a kiss to the top of his head, but the tension doesn’t leave TK’s body.

“I’m a mess. I’m sorry. I couldn’t do this at home. I couldn’t let him hear this.”

Carlos has liked Captain Strand every time they’ve interacted, and he always gotten the impression that they were close. But he could be wrong.

“It’s okay,” Carlos figures it doesn’t matter what he’s actually saying, and TK has said that he likes listening to him speak Spanish, so Carlos switches languages. It has the added benefit that he can say things he wouldn't risk saying to TK in English.

When TK finally calms down enough to make sense, he doesn’t say anything that Carlos expects.

“He has cancer,” TK says as Carlos is trying to wipe off his face. “I can’t lose him. But I couldn’t let him see how scared I am. _He’s_ scared already. He’s not supposed to be scared of anything. He always insists on doing the dangerous rescues himself.”

Carlos pulls him close again and this time the tension drains out of him. Carlos leads him to his bedroom. TK stares at him with wet eyes as Carlos undoes his pants and pushes them down. He’d already pulled back the sheets, so he sits TK on the bed and helps him lie down.

“Sorry,” TK says again. “I didn’t have anywhere else to go.”

“It’s okay. Don’t be sorry,” Carlos says as he climbs into bed on the other side. TK moves easily when Carlos pushes him to his side so that he can spoon against his back.

“I can’t lose him,” TK whispers in the dark. “He has to get better. He has to be okay.”

Carlos wishes he could just tell TK that his dad will be fine, but it’s not something he can fix.

“What do the doctors say?” Carlos asks.

“He’s doing chemo. He says the doctors think he can beat it.”

“Then you have to think he will.”

“I know. I told him that.” TK snuggles closer into his arms. “Thanks for letting me come over.”

“Of course. I’ve got you.” Carlos kisses his shoulder and holds him until they both fall asleep.

***

TK’s phone alarm goes off early and he slides out of Carlos’s arms before Carlos can make sense of what’s happening.

“Sorry. My dad has chemo this morning and I said I’d go with him. Go back to sleep.”

It’s a completely reasonable excuse for running out early, but Carlos still can’t help being disappointed.

***

Carlos doesn’t expect to hear from TK for a while, but he has a text when he wakes up.

 **TK:** Sorry I went crazy on you last night. Again.  
**Carlos:** Don’t apologize. You didn’t go crazy. You had a good reason for being upset.  
**TK:** Still. I know it was weird.  
**Carlos:** It wasn’t weird.  
**TK:** Okay. Thanks.  
**Carlos:** Are you free tonight? Can I make you dinner? Nothing fancy.  
**TK:** You want to?  
**Carlos:** If I didn’t want to, I wouldn’t ask.  
**TK:** Okay. Sure.

***

Making his abuela’s tamales from scratch isn’t _that_ big of a deal. He has the day off and sometimes cooking helps him think. Or not think too much.

He’s expecting TK to be late, but he knocks on the door right on time. For the first time, he doesn’t attack Carlos as soon as the door is open. His arms are crossed over his chest and he only glances at Carlos before looking away.

“Sorry I didn’t bring anything. People usually bring wine to these things and…” TK shrugs and doesn’t finish the sentence.

“You didn’t need to bring anything.” Carlos pulls him in and directs him to the table. “Sit. Everything should be ready.”

Carlos gets everything plated and is about to sit down when TK asks, “Why do you like me?”

“What?”

“I’m a mess. I acted like an asshole last time you made me dinner. I’m an addict. I got arrested in a stupid bar fight— _that I started_. We’ve had one actual date and I bitched about Judd the entire night. Last night I came over and had a break down all over you. Why do you like me? I’m sure there are other guys in Austin who give good head. That’s not even an excuse because we’ve only hooked up once. But you asked me to come over and you made me dinner. Again. What is in this for you?” TK doesn’t look at Carlos at all while he’s talking. His arms stay crossed and everything about him is defensive.

Carlos walks around the table and wraps his arms around TK’s shoulders from behind.

“Hey. I meant it when I said you had nothing to be sorry about last night. I’m glad you let me be there for you.” Carlos kisses his temple and TK’s hand comes up to clutch his arm. 

“And there are a lot of reasons I like you. I’ve seen you at work and you’re smart and brave and you care about the people you help even when they’re idiots who hurt themselves trying to be famous on YouTube. You could’ve blown me off and gotten angry when I told you that Judd was right, but you listened. You’re not too proud to admit when you’re wrong and that’s hard to find in guy.”

TK laughs.

“I don’t think I’m ready for anything serious.”

Carlos squeezes him tighter for a second before letting go.

“That’s fair. You’re going through a lot right now. I’m not asking for anything serious. I’m asking for dinner. That’s all. Okay?”

“Okay.”

***

“When I said I needed time, I didn’t mean we couldn’t hook up,” TK says when Carlos leads him to the door at the end of the night.

“I know. But I also know you came over because you felt like you owed me something for last night and I’m not hooking up with you because you think you owe me something.”

“That was dinner. This is different,” TK says and tries to push closer. Carlos holds him back and kisses him lightly.

“Next time.” Carlos says when he pulls back. It’s a risk. It always feels like TK might run and there won’t be a next time. But it doesn’t feel right to hook up when TK is still obviously fragile, so Carlos will have to hope there’s a next time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not going to lie, chapters 3 and 4 are my favorites of this fic and I’m impatient to get them out. I’m quarantining completely alone and thriving on comments.
> 
> I haven’t lived in Texas for a long time, so I probably don’t notice all the ways that they mess up. But I have to say that never in my entire life has anyone taken a tornado that seriously right away. These people should’ve been dangerously looking out the window and stuff.


	4. Chapter 4

**TK:** Help. I need to take Paul out. Where can we dance?  
**Carlos:** You’re asking me where to take another guy out?  
**TK:** He just got dumped. He’s straight. But he’ll be fine in a gay bar.  
**TK:** If you don’t want me grinding on someone else, come with us. 😈  
**Carlos:** Is that a request or a challenge?  
**TK:** Both. Come meet us at 11 tonight?  
**Carlos:** What am I going to do with you?  
**TK:** Something hot, I hope. Finally. 🍆 💦  
**Carlos:** I’m driving.

***

Carlos knows that he has no claim on TK no matter how much he wants to, but he’s still relieved that TK wasn’t actually asking him for advice on how to take out another guy. He’s even happier to not only get an invite, but permission to claim TK for himself even if it’s only for the night.

TK looks gorgeous when he comes out of the firehouse to where Carlos is leaning against his car and waiting. His shirt is so thin that Carlos can see through it. He smiles at Carlos. It’s the first full, honest smile that Carlos has seen from him since the failed attempt at dinner. So, Carlos gives into temptation and hooks a finger in one of his belt loops to pull him forward.

“Hi.” TK says with a smirk.

“You’re a menace. You know that, right?”

“I didn’t do anything.”

“You know exactly what you look like,” Carlos says before sliding his hand behind TK’s neck and pulling him into a kiss with the kind of roughness TK has been pushing to get for weeks. TK returns the kiss with enthusiasm until Carlos threads his fingers through TK’s hair to pull him off.

“Oh my god. Is teasing me like this some kind of kink for you?”

“We are outside your job. Where your father works, and we’re supposed to be taking your friend out to cheer him up,” Carlos reminds him.

“You knew all those things before you kissed me like that,” TK says, but he takes a deep breath and steps to the side so he can lean against the car next to Carlos.

“You’re sure he’s up for this?” Carlos asks.

“Trust me. It’ll be good for him.”

TK seems confident and it’s the first time he’s really seemed to count someone on his crew as his friend, so Carlos nods.

Paul questioning if TK told him something is enough to tell Carlos that TK didn’t ask for a gay bar just for himself, but Carlos tries not to think about it. If Paul wants him to know, it’ll happen.

Besides, Carlos is more focused on how TK reaches for him as soon as they enter the club. It doesn’t last, but they’re here to cheer Paul up first, so Carlos doesn’t take it personally. Even if part of him wants to pull TK into his arms and keep him there, it means something that TK brought him along with one of his friends. It means something that even though they’re dancing in a group to include Paul, TK doesn’t hesitate to get closer to him a few times when Paul can see them. Maybe TK is hiding whatever they’re doing from his father, but he’s not hiding it from his friend.

They get drinks, but even when Paul goes back for a second drink, Carlos orders water with TK.

“I don’t mind if you drink,” TK tells him while Paul’s in the bathroom.

“I know.” Carlos steps behind him and pulls TK back against his chest. He mouths at TK’s neck, kisses behind his ear and nips at his earlobe, enjoying the way TK sucks in a breath and pushes back into him. “I want to be fully aware for what I want to do to you later.”

“If you’re teasing me and you don’t follow through, I swear to god.” TK says as Carlos sees Paul coming back them.

“Be good and I’ll take care of you.” Carlos bites his ear lightly one more time before pulling back so that they’re not excluding Paul.

They go back to the dance floor and a girl who’s been dancing with Paul on and off all night finds him again. She pulls Paul away and TK comes closer to him immediately.

“We should still keep an eye on him,” TK says and Carlos nods.

But they can do that and still dance with each other. Carlos pulls TK closer so his thigh slides between TK’s legs and TK presses into him.

“What exactly counts as being good?” TK asks as he wraps his arms around Carlos’s neck.

Carlos’s real answer would be that he doesn’t want TK to so much as look at another guy (aside from keeping an eye on Paul) for the rest of the night. But that will probably send TK running.

“Just let me make you feel good,” Carlos says into his ear instead.

“Please.”

Even with Carlos obviously staking claim, two other guys either don’t get the hint, think they have something better to offer, or are hoping to join the party. But when they come up to TK, he lets Carlos pull him away without a fight. He arches into Carlos as Carlos runs his hands over TK’s body while they dance back to chest, tilting his head to give Carlos access to his neck. When Carlos turns him around and grabs his ass to keep him close, TK presses his face into Carlos’s neck.

TK still has his face buried in Carlos’s neck when Paul comes over with the girl that he was dancing with trailing behind him, but Carlos eases up his grip and stops dancing. TK whines and grinds against his thigh as Carlos tries to back off.

“We’re going to go get some food. I’ll get a Lyft home,” Paul says.

“You sure?” Carlos asks.

“Yeah. I’m good. You should take him home before you have to arrest yourself for indecency.”

Carlos laughs. TK raises his hand to flip Paul off.

“Ready to get out of here?” Carlos asks.

“If you don’t take me home and fuck me, I’m going to kill you.”

Carlos laughs into his mouth as they kiss. He pulls TK out of the club by the hand and gets him into the car. When TK tries to grab for him, Carlos pushes him down into the seat.

“Behave and you’ll get what you want. Make me crash my car and you won’t.”

TK groans, but he sits back.

It’s late enough that the traffic is light, and they get back to Carlos’s house quickly. TK presses into his back as Carlos gets the door unlocked and he attacks as soon as the door closes behind them.

After over an hour of foreplay on the dance floor, Carlos is almost as desperate. They leave a trail of clothes on the way too the bedroom and they’re both naked by the time Carlos pushes TK onto the bed and climbs on top of him.

“Please. I need you.”

TK wraps his legs around Carlos, already trying to hoist himself up. Carlos takes a deep breath because one of them has to have some kind of control and it’s not going to be TK.

“I’ve got you. I’m going to give you what you want.”

He has to get one of TK’s legs off of him so that he can move, and he has to press down on TK’s shoulder the entire time so that he can get to the bedside table for the lube and a condom.

TK pushes back on his fingers immediately and demands more. Carlos has never had a man so desperate for him in his life. When he uses his free hand to try to calm TK down, TK clamps onto his wrist and holds on like he needs Carlos to ground him.

Carlos is holding onto his control by a thread by the time he slides into TK, and it takes every bit of his resolve to be careful when TK pulls him forward and demands a kiss. The kiss is wet and rough and when TK shifts his hips and fucks himself on Carlos’s cock, Carlos gives in. TK moans and whines and claws down Carlos’s back as he takes everything Carlos gives him. When he starts to push harder against Carlos’s stomach, Carlos snakes a hand between them and strokes until TK comes over Carlos’s fist and all over their chests.

TK sucks in a harsh breath as he goes soft and Carlos slows, but TK clutches at his back.

“No. Don’t stop.”

Carlos hesitates. He knows how sensitive some guys are after they come, but TK thrusts his hips to try to get them going again.

“Please. I want it,” TK says, so Carlos starts to move, slowly and then picking up speed as he gets closer. TK whines and gasps, obviously oversensitive and overwhelmed, but he keeps meeting Carlos’s thrusts and keeps his legs wrapped around Carlos’s waist, so Carlos trusts him to know what he wants.

“Yeah. Come inside me.” TK says into his mouth and Carlos buries his face in TK’s neck and comes hard.

“Oh my god. I’m never moving again.” TK says while Carlos is still trying to catch his breath. Carlos laughs and he can feel TK wince.

“Sorry.”

Carlos reaches down to hold the condom and pulls out slowly, sucking in a breath as he does because, now, _he’s_ too sensitive to be inside TK. TK gives him a satisfied hum.

“I’m not moving,” TK says. “If you don’t want me to roll over and make a mess of your bed, you have to do something about it yourself.”

Carlos laughs and gets a towel from the bathroom to clean them off. When he gets back in bed, TK snuggles up to him, resting his head on Carlos’s chest and _clinging_ with a satisfied smile on his face.

“Feel better?” Carlos asks.

“I’m not going to say it was worth the wait because then you might be a tease again and make me wait forever for next time.”

Carlos pulls the covers over them and closes his eyes. If this is how he gets TK to not run out after sex, then he’s up to the challenge.

“I don’t think you’re going to have to push too hard to make it happen again.”

He’s as exhausted as TK, but he doesn’t want to stop enjoying this. He can’t help running his hand down TK’s back and over his ass. TK pushes back into his hand, so it’s not just Carlos.

“You can’t possibly want more,” Carlos says. He definitely doesn’t have the energy to give TK more, but he still wants to touch him, so he slips his fingers between his cheeks and strokes over his hole without dipping inside. TK whines and pulls away like Carlos expected, but he pushes back almost immediately like he doesn’t want to accept that his body is done.

“You’re going to be the death of me.” Carlos runs his fingers over TK’s hole, fingering him just a little as TK squirms against him. It’s definitely a kink for TK that he might want to explore later, but Carlos doesn’t want to push him so soon, so he pulls his fingers away and cups TK’s ass in his hand, rubbing lightly to try to calm him down.

It works and TK’s breathing slows until eventually he shifts around to get more comfortable to sleep, turning on his side and pulling on Carlos’s arm so that Carlos spoons against his back. He falls asleep holding Carlos’s hand to his chest.

Carlos lies awake for another half hour trying to calm down his heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In a sort of spin-off to this series I wrote that someone saw this kiss outside the firehouse. Guess who?
> 
> Anyway, I will get chapter 5 up soon. Then of course, the next part of the series is actually the first story I wrote. I had previously started the previously mentioned sequel to that already, but after writing this, I really want to keep this series as extra scenes from what we see in canon, so I want to continue it when the series starts up again. So I'm still going to post the "sequel" I already started but since it will eventually get jossed, I'm going to post it separately as an "inspired by" fic. I hope that makes sense. :D


	5. Chapter 5

Carlos wakes up with TK still in his arms. Neither of them has to work today, so he gets comfortable and hopes it doesn’t wake TK up. TK surprises him by taking his hand and pulling to bring Carlos closer.

“Good morning,” Carlos says, kissing TK’s shoulder and the back of his neck.

“So, do I get breakfast?” TK asks.

Carlos laughs into his neck.

“I cook for you once and you’re spoiled already?”

“I’m an only child with divorced parents,” TK says. “I spoil very easily.”

Carlos pushes him gently but doesn’t let him go. TK is almost never this cheerful and open. He wants to enjoy this mood as long as he can.

“I should also shower. I don’t think it’s believable right now that I crashed with Paul.”

“That’s what you told your dad?” Carlos tries not to let it sting that TK hasn’t mentioned whatever they’re doing to his father.

“It seemed better than saying ‘I begged Officer Reyes to fuck me until I couldn’t move, so we’re going to go do that now.’”

“Fair point,” Carlos says. “Share a shower and then I’ll make you breakfast?”

TK says he’s too hungry to wait for breakfast and goes to his knees in the shower. Carlos doesn’t even have a chance to repay him because he comes on own hand with Carlos’s cock in his mouth. It’s not like Carlos has never had good head before, but he’s not sure he’s ever had it from someone who seems to enjoy giving it so much.

“I’m trying to motivate you to not tease me for another month,” TK says when he stands up.

“Noted.”

***

 **TK:** Listen. I know you’re into the whole conversation before sex thing. I’m not trying to be a dick. But our shifts aren’t lining up and my dad has this stupid fitness test and I know you’re tied up with Michelle. If you don’t come over and fuck me on your lunch break, I’m going to jump you next time I see you on a call.  
**Carlos:** Your dad’s not home?  
**TK:** No. He’s gone for a few hours to meet with another shift.  
**Carlos:** I’ll be there at 12:30.

***

It’s not how Carlos likes to do things, but it implies that TK isn’t sleeping with anyone else, and Carlos wants to keep it that way. It’s also not a hardship to have TK open the door wearing only a robe and tell Carlos that he’s already fingered himself open so that Carlos can fuck him in the hallway against the wall.

It goes on like that for the next three weeks. They text enough that Carlos is willing to blame the situation and not worry that TK’s avoiding him on purpose. They see each other at calls and when he can, Carlos sneaks away to steal a kiss or at least squeeze his hand. Sometimes, TK even calls him at night just to talk about what’s going on with his dad and listen to Carlos’s worries about Michelle.

“Don’t worry so much,” Michelle says. “You both have awful schedules. You’re talking. He’s texting you almost every day. You have time.”

They’re supposed to have time.

Carlos doesn’t even know anything is wrong right away. They had two cars at the scene, and he took the Ackerman’s back to the station while another car stayed behind to talk to the family in the house. He’s back at the station and getting ready to end his shift when Maria gets a call from the officers that stayed behind. He didn’t even realize that they were taking so long to come back from the scene. He’s so focused on how TK’s off in three hours. Carlos is ready to finally spend longer than forty-five minutes with him.

“Who is it?” Maria says into the phone, then in a more frustrated tone, “I know it was one of the firefighters. Which one?”

Carlos turns to look at her.

“Okay. Which hospital did they take him to?”

Maria doesn’t have to tell him that something is wrong with TK when she hangs up.

“Get your stuff. I’ll explain everything to the chief after we get you to the hospital.”

“What happened?”

“They were breaking down the door to get to the man having a heart attack. The little boy picked up the gun and shot him because he was scared. That’s all they could tell me. I’ll drive you to the hospital.”

“How long have you known I was seeing him?” Carlos asks when they’re in the car. Maria flips on the lightbar and sirens so that they can get to the hospital faster.

“I knew you were lying when you said you were done with him after he got arrested. And I see how you look at him when we’re on the same call. You’re good at hiding it, but not from me,” Maria says.

Carlos is glad he hasn’t changed out of his uniform because it’s easy to get directed to TK’s room. He’s already out of surgery, but all they’ll tell him is that TK’s not awake yet. He catches Paul’s eye in the waiting room and Paul leaves the rest of the TK’s team to come to him.

“The surgery went well, but he hasn’t woken up. They’re not sure when he will, or if he’ll have effects from the blood loss to his brain.”

“Should he be awake?” Carlos has no idea how long the surgery took because no one knew to tell him as soon as TK was shot.

“Yes, but it hasn’t been that long. It might not be anything to worry about.”

Carlos nods. He’s not going to force Paul to tell him that something’s wrong when he’s trying to stay positive.

Captain Strand is also still in uniform which means that he came to the hospital with TK and refused to leave. Captain Strand doesn’t know about them, and Carlos doesn’t know how to explain why he’s standing at the door like he’s someone important when the Captain turns around.

“Officer Reyes.” Something must show on his face because Captain Strand asks, “Would you like some time with him?”

“I don’t want to impose,” Carlos says instead of begging.

“No, I think he’d appreciate it. I know I would.”

He claps Carlos on the back of his neck before leaving. Maybe if Maria noticed things, Captain Strand at least had some suspicions.

Carlos can’t take his eyes off TK’s face when he sits down and clutches his arm.

“Hey cariño. I think your dad figured us out. You can be mad at me if you want, but you need to wake up first. Come on sweetheart, I know you’re a fighter. You never stop pushing. I need you to wake up for me.”

Carlos combs through his hair, but TK doesn’t smile and lean into it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the end of this fic. Of course, the finale is covered in the next fic in the series and it's already there. I'll post the first part of the spin off tomorrow. I'm very bad at ending things. Most of my fics just go one forever.

**Author's Note:**

> The song I used for the title is Orange Sky by Alexi Murdoch. (Though I've been listening to a cover version from Kat Cunning)
> 
> Also, I should note that I grew up in Texas and have spent a lot of time (and had 3 exes) in New York City, and have also lived in Chicago (Like Paul) and Florida (Like Marjan). I'm also Mexican (I'm aware that Rafael is not Mexican but they seem to be portraying Carlos as Mexican. I have mixed feelings about this because I do love Rafael but it's a little weird.) So while all my portrayals of these places/people are my own, they do come from life experience. Honestly, I usually make my OCs a from places I've lived so I have to do less research. It's this series is made up of my OCs already.
> 
> If you want to read all my other stuff it is posted on a different site or (if you just want to follow me on tumblr so I have more 9-1-1: Love Star people), I'm not to allowed to link it here, but the link to that can be found on  
> my tumblr: @lostinanimage
> 
> Also, t’s been so long since I’ve written fic for a TV show. Like so long that I had to think about how I wrote fic when I couldn’t just rewatch the episodes to check things. We’re talking reading Buffy the Vampire Slayer transcripts and looking up screenshots. On this rewatch, I noticed that the bar where TK has his bar fight is the same set that they use for the bar they hang out in because so much rewatching really makes you start to catch random things.


End file.
